Keep learning (me too)

It has been some time since I have written an update, so first I am going to give you some dates for 2025 and then there’s a quick whistle tour as to why I have been so busy.

January – Seasons Art Classes – Tiptree Community Centre
14 week classes Mondays 10 -1 pm or 2 – 5pm
OR Wednesdays 10 – 1pm.
14 weeks starting 6th or 8th January 2025.
Contact for more details: 01621 818593
Or look at the Facebook page

The Seasons Art Classes – Tiptree and Witham classes have now progressed to 2 days of teaching which is lovely. Our new course starts on 6th January and will take you through a journey from drawing, to oil pastels, to watercolour to acrylics. It is a lovely learning community with beginners and those who just want to set aside time to do art.

CG Crafts

As it has been such a busy year I haven’t done so many classes at home but I have now added the following dates for Spring and as always am happy to tailor classes and look at dates to suit.

15th March – Enamelled Jewellery for Beginners. 10 – 3pm

22nd March – Silver Clay Jewellery for Beginners. 10 – 3pm

26th April – Silver Clay Leaf Jewellery. 10 – 4pm

10th May – Silver Bypass ring using Sterling silver clay – 10 – 4pm

24th May – Enamelled Jewellery for Beginners and beyond. 10 – 3pm

7th June – Make Stud earrings – use a combination of silver clay and traditional silversmithing to make stud earrings.

21st June – Enamelled jewellery – expand your skills. 10 – 3pm

Book here (or buy craft vouchers and organise a date to suit). Or Email me to organise a tailored class

Watershed Studio

I am continuing to teach at Watershed Studios in St Osyth – Book here

8th March – Silver Clay for Beginners

19th July – Feltmaking – creating felt with a ball to make 3D bowls.

18th October – Creating Silver clay keepsake jewellery

ACL

One of the reasons I have been so busy is that the ACL courses have now progressed to Colchester as well as Basildon – unfortunately, as these are accredited courses, they do suck up quite a bit of admin time so it has left little time for me to do other things. This has been a steep learning curve for me in terms of writing a 14 week class, meeting unit criteria and collating evidence for the examining board. I’m working on ways to rectify this. 🙂

At The Bench Academy
I’m learning too. I have started a Silversmithing diploma with At The Bench, which is a really great course, I’m learning how to do things such as piercing and soldering properly, which I hope to help me inform you with your design choices in the Silver clay classes – for example adding soldering to make stud earrings,

So all this adds up to little time to do admin. Ahh well. What have you been learning this year? What do you hope to learn in 2025.

2024 dates

Just updating the diary for 2024 so if you are after last-minute present ideas, or looking to take up a new skill next year, do get in touch. Prices listed on website are for 1 to 1 but discounted prices are available when booking 2 or more people so please ask about this.

CG CRAFTS, Colchester (booking 07847 098849) or click here

Sat 30th March – Encaustic Art

Fri 19th April – Silver Clay Beginners

Sat 20th April – Enamelling Beginners

Fri 26th April – Enamelling Beginners

Sat 27th April – Silver Clay Beginners

Fri 10th May – Flamework (Making glass beads)

Sat 11th May – Encaustic Art

Fri 24th May – Feltmaking – needle and wet felting

The Seasons art classes

I teach a 14 week class covering Drawing, oil pastels, watercolour and acrylics. The class currently takes place at The Oaks Golf Course, Rivenhall Essex. Click here to find out more on our Facebook page or call 01621 818 593

19+ Adult Learning at ACL

I am now teaching weekly Metal (Fine Silver) clay classes at Basildon ACL

The Thursday classes are accredited which means they are funded if you meet the criteria, plus you get a shiny certificate at the end. The listings are a little confusing at present as the courses are quite new but if you are interested and can’t find the course let me know and I’ll do my best to help.

Watershed Studio, St Osyth – 01255 820466 or click here

Sat 16th March – Silver Clay Jewellery

Sat 29th June – Felt Making Landscapes using wet felt

Sat 7th Oct – Enamelling

Essex Classes

I am really excited to update you that the next lot of Seasons Art classes which will start at the end of July are being planned. The gallery shows a selection of what the students have learnt over the 14 week classes. Starting with drawing techniques we build up the basic building blocks and then move on to oil pastels, watercolour and finally acrylics before completing our time with a session to mount our pieces and then the exhibition – which is an opportunity to enjoy the work created over the 14 weeks. If you’d like to know more message me and I can pass on booking details or you can take a look at our website which will be available for bookings soon.

Classes coming up

Other Classes coming up
As usual get in touch if you’d like to book a class in my garden workshop or click on the links below to book directly with venues
CG Crafts, Colchester – dates and times to suit
Pink Parrot Pottery – Silver clay with embedded gemstones on Saturday 3rd June
Pink Parrot Pottery – Encaustic art on Saturday 15th July
EJ Art Creative, Woodbridge – Silver clay layered pendant on Saturday 24th June
FSC Flatford Mill, East Bergholt – Silver Clay day on Saturday 1st July
Watershed Studio, St Osyth – Feltmaking: creating landscapes using felting techniques on Tuesday 18th July

Groups, classes and dates at other venues

I’ve just updated the website – I know it’s been a while! My girls are at Guide Camp so I’m taking my mind off it by catching up on some admin.

Hopefully, you’ll find all the info you need here but do get in touch if anything does not make sense. If you want to do crafts as a group I’d love to hear from you and am more than happy to discuss costs, email me here.

The next couple of classes I have coming up at other venues are:

18th August – EJart Encaustic art taster sessions (Woodbridge area)

9 – 11th Sept FSC Flatford Mill Jewellery weekend including Silver clay and enamelling (East Bergholt, Suffolk)

Welcome to CG Crafts

Want to learn how to make jewellery? Or perhaps you enjoy other crafts? If you are using a mobile click on menu and it should give you options to book, or find out more.

Classes to March 2022

Eek! Busy behind the scenes trying to get dates sorted and generally confusing myself left, right and centre. Don’t forget a booked class or voucher makes a great gift, it’s a day out and something made is something treasured (hopefully).
Once I am less confused I will post more about what I have been up to.

January
Saturday 22nd January – Beginner’s Silver Clay @ EJart
February
Thurs 10th Feb – @ EJart TBA
Tuesday 22nd Feb – Encaustic art @ CG Crafts
Thursday 24th Feb – Silver Clay Jewellery at the Sunshine Room – Pin Mill
March
PMC Silver Clay Camp 101 class – 4 weeks, 5 projects – Thursday 3rd March, 10th March, 17th March, 14th March
Fri 4th March – Flamework @ CG Crafts
Sat 5th March – Private Class
Tues 8th March – Flamework @ CG Crafts
Fri 11th March – Silver Clay Jewellery @ CG Crafts
Sat 12th March Enamelling @ CG Crafts – SOLD OUT
Tuesday 15th March – Enamelling @ Watershed Studio, St Osyth
Friday 18th March – Enamelling @ CG Crafts
Sat 19th March – @ Ejart TBA
Sunday 20th March – Flamework @ CG Crafts
Friday 25th March – Silver Clay @ CG Crafts
Sat 26th March – Encaustic Art @ CG Crafts

I also teach feltmaking.

Get in touch for more info about any of the classes.

Well that wasn’t what I was expecting!

I thought once the girls went back to school I’d be able to get on with everything again. Ha! Covid hit home with 2 positive test results, conveniently 2 weeks apart so it left us with a month of isolation. Fortunately, no one was too ill but it has meant another batch of postponed classes, lost income and admin hassles! Oh dear, get out the violins.
On a positive note, it has meant I have been able to work on my Camp PMC 103 – Soldering and fusing class (pictures below). So I am now much happier with my soldering skills and look forward to incorporating those into classes in the future.
Once half term is over I’ll update you on course dates and things planned for the next few months. Can’t believe we are at this end of the year already! Don’t forget craft class gift vouchers make great presents so do get in touch if you are interested in buying one for this class or any others that I offer: Enamelling, Felt making, Flamework, Silver clay and Encaustic art. Do get in touch to find out more.

Creations

You can sign up to my mailing list to get up to date class info and subscriber discounts as well as hearing more about my experiments and discoveries.

I know I won’t be the only one who has spent a great deal of the last year building on existing skills or learning new ones. Creativity is something that can really keep you going at the best of times and most especially now. It has also given me time to have a think about offering themed classes or classes focusing on a specific technique, which I do to a certain extent but I think I need to be clearer about it! Haha she says as she waffles along.
I’m going to post some photos of work I have been doing with @pmcstudio as part of my silver clay certification, some of which I already offer but have learn some extra tips for you. Do let me know which techniques particularly intrigue you, or what others you might like to learn. Some of the classes may be taught online (I am offering a few via @ejartcreative at the moment). Later in the year I hope to be able to tell you more about Camp PMC 101 which I hope to be able to teach soon.

I am also learning papercutting (pictured is a great kit by @KatySuedesigns but I am working on some basic ideas for a class for those who need to be guided a little more and this will be @watershedstudio later in the year (hopefully).

I know some techniques get people really excited, whereas others they can take or leave, so it would be really great to get some feedback.

I’ll tell you a little more about dates etc in my newsletter. If you’d like to sign up do get in touch.

Keep safe and creative.

Toni

Black Friday weekend Offer

Oh go on then I will do an offer plus something new!
I’m offering £10 off the price of full day class vouchers from Friday 27th November to Saturday 5th December 2020. Book now to avoid missing out.
New for 2021! I’m now offering Zoom classes for 2021 – 2 hour gift vouchers available now.

Unique silver jewellery

New ways to shop this Christmas

Are you feeling Christmas ready? I know I’m not! I am trying to think of where to hide the presents I’ve already bought, whilst stopping my kittens getting into the boxes and destroying the contents – they do believe a box arrives everyday in this house!

What I now need to do is tell you about what my small business can offer you for Christmas!

I teach small classes in Colchester – these are not your bog standard classes but more specialised crafts: Enamelled Jewellery, Silver Clay Jewellery (fine silver), Encaustic art, Felt making and Flamework (making glass beads). My workshop fits 2 people for a class (not including me), comfortably so if you are worried about mixing in big groups you don’t need to. I offer a gift letter for you to purchase a class but detailing how the recipient can book a date to suit them. These classes are intended for adult crafters who have already done the usual things and are looking for something a bit more challenging.
You can book class vouchers here, or by emailing me. I have a few handcrafted items on sale here too.

I also make jewellery for sale. My Etsy shop is up and running and you can buy items here – if you are local get in touch as I may be able to offer delivery rather than posting items out.

I also have items for sale at EJart Creative in Woodbridge – the sell online and will also be open for business from 2nd December.

Next week Colcheco will be opening and will have a selection of my work.

This weekend I will be taking part in A Handcrafted Business online fair which will give you details of lots of lovely handcrafted items – I’ll post the link later.

That’s all for now, never have there been more ways to shop from the luxury of your own home!

Keep safe and keep in touch. Toni